Popular Web
Design Styles
A practical guide to popular web
design styles with real examples
First impressions happen fast—often before a visitor even reads a single word. If your website lacks a cohesive visual style, it can come across as unprofessional and untrustworthy.
Thoughtful design sets the tone and helps evoke the right emotions from your audience. To make that happen, you need the right visual approach. In this article, we'll walk you through the most common website design styles—and how to choose the one that fits your brand best.
Thoughtful design sets the tone and helps evoke the right emotions from your audience. To make that happen, you need the right visual approach. In this article, we'll walk you through the most common website design styles—and how to choose the one that fits your brand best.
Contents:
Why Your Website Needs a Style
Developing a website style isn't just about making things look good; It's about building a product that's memorable, functional, and easy to use. A well-defined style helps serve both business goals and user needs.
Make a strong first impression. According to research, it takes just 50 milliseconds for a user to form an opinion about a website. If that first impression is negative, they'll bounce. But if the design sparks a positive emotion right away, visitors are more likely to stay.
The overall design of the online store captures the spirit of the brand: Fresh, stylish, minimalist. Even without reading the caption, you can tell who the target audience is—women with refined taste who are into fashion.
puritsu.ae
puritsu.ae
Boost sales and conversions. For commercial websites, the style isn't just about aesthetics—it's a tool to guide the user toward a specific action. Whether it's signing up, making a purchase, or subscribing to a course, design can help build trust and drive results.
This first screen of an AI tool for app verification uses visual clues to evoke trust. It features a real photo, check icons, and green as an accent color—all working together to quickly build trust and signal reliability.
x-faces.org
x-faces.org
Set the mood. Visual style evokes emotion. That's why an online clothing store, a music band's website, and a course landing page all need completely different vibes.
A band's website might go bold and expressive—think Sans-serif fonts, vivid backgrounds, dark buttons, and colorful content blocks that match the group's energy and tone.
nirvana.com
nirvana.com
Website Design Trends You Should Know
Minimalism
When less is more
Minimalist design gets the job done using the fewest elements possible. It looks clean, airy, and intentional. Every piece on the page has a purpose.
Key elements:
- Clear and purposeful. As the name suggests, it's all about stripping away anything unnecessary. Every visual detail must serve a purpose—the fewer distractions, the better.
- Color with intent. Minimalist websites usually stick to a monochrome palette. Bright or bold colors are used sparingly—only when you want to draw attention to something specific.
- Whitespace is your best friend. Negative space (the empty areas around content) helps key elements stand out and gives users room to breathe. Don't crowd your layout—space helps guide attention.
Negative space refers to the empty area around a design element. It's also called "white space" or "counter space."
Minimalism in web design works well for industries where creativity, freedom, and elegance matter. For instance, fashion brands, photographers, music stores, architecture magazines, or artist portfolios.
Examples of minimalist websites:
Brutalism & Neobrutalism
Design that dares
Brutalism is a bold, provocative style that intentionally breaks design conventions. A more refined version, known as neobrutalism, tones it down slightly while preserving the rebellious vibe. These websites often use clashing colors, oversized typography, and oddly placed shapes or elements.
Key elements:
- Deliberate contrast and chaos. You'll often see color combos that are visually jarring, overlapping elements, and unexpected layouts. Brutalist websites are meant to disrupt—even annoy a little—just to get noticed. Here you can use a combination of bright colors and experiment more.
- Stand out by breaking the rules. While most websites try to look clean and polished, brutalism leans into sharp lines, hard shadows, and loud visuals. It's unapologetic and attention-grabbing. Use large, prominent elements to guide attention.
Brutalism is often used by bold new startups, edgy brands, or artists who want to showcase their personality. It's perfect for portfolios that challenge the norm or companies ready to disrupt the market.
Examples of websites that use Brutalist design features:
Constructivism
I'm all about speed and dynamics!
Constructivism is a functional, geometry-driven style rooted in architecture. Websites built in this style often use asymmetrical layouts to convey motion. You'll frequently see collages—like black-and-white photo cutouts layered over bold backgrounds.
Key elements:
- Sans‑serif headline fonts. No decorative flair—typography must be clear and purposeful. Choose simple, easy‑to‑read fonts for constructivist designs.
- Geometric shapes. Sharp lines and forms—think squares, triangles, circles—underline the style's precision. Avoid small decorative flourishes.
- Asymmetry and movement. Layouts feel energetic and flexible. Add subtle animations and offset elements to reinforce a sense of flow.
Constructivism communicates two messages: A company that's fast-paced and agile, and one that embraces innovation. It works particularly well for tech startups and forward-looking brands.
Examples of Constructivist-style websites:
Swiss Style
Reliable as Swiss watchmaking
This design style champions clarity, functionality, and understated elegance—and its roots lie in Swiss print design before migrating to the web.
Key elements:
- Modular grid layouts. Elements align neatly within a grid, ensuring balance and harmony. The design is driven by function—every element has a purpose.
- Typography is king. Sans‑serif fonts like Helvetica, Univers, or Akzidenz-Grotesk dominate. Emphasize contrast by using large headings and smaller body text.
- Minimalism and realism in visuals. In Swiss design, images are aligned with the text to create visual order. Most other elements are kept monochrome, while the main visual emphasis is placed on color photography. If you're building a Swiss-style website, start with text on a solid background—then add color images only where they truly enhance the layout.
Swiss design communicates order, sophistication, and professionalism—ideal for IT companies and premium product brands.
Examples of Swiss-style websites:
On Tilda, you can choose from a variety of industry-tailored ready-made templates in diverse styles or create a unique design from scratch using Zero Block.
Did you know?
Editorial Style
Think Cosmopolitan, Vogue, and similar high-end publications
Inspired by traditional print magazines, this style transforms websites into immersive editorial experiences.
Key elements:
- Contrasting typography. Large decorative headlines paired with small, legible sans‑serif body text. Place headlines directly on images or in separate blocks.
- Multilayer composition. Complex compositions reminiscent of magazine spreads. Take cues from top-tier publications like Esquire, GQ, or Harper's Bazaar.
- Focus is on visual content. Images and videos are bold and eye-catching, designed to immediately draw the user's attention. Strong visuals are key, so be especially selective with your photography.
- Decorative elements. Lines, frames, icons, and other graphics add visual interest and personality. Quotes or key phrases are often highlighted with large type or color to stand out. Use these accent and decorative elements to break up content and build a clear visual structure.
Editorial style fits content-heavy platforms like digital magazines, blogs, and news platforms.
Examples of websites that use Editorial-style design features:
Hand‑Drawn Style
Decor, decor, and more decor
Hand-drawn style mimics hand-lettering and sketchy graphics—an easy way to stand out among minimal, grid-based websites.
Key elements:
- Handwritten fonts are a must. Hand-drawn style websites often use fonts that mimic handwriting or calligraphy. Decorative fonts can be hard to read. Use them sparingly for charm—not in body copy.
- Deliberately messy accents. Designers use rough-cut photos, bright outlines, and sketchy shapes to create a casual, handmade website image. Scribbles and hand-drawn doodles are common, too. Can't draw? Doesn't matter. Just scribble away—imperfection is part of the hand-drawn style.
- Forget strict grids and precise alignment. Illustrated websites are all about freedom. Layouts are loose, often intentionally "off" to emphasize the hand-drawn aesthetic. A good trick: Start by laying out your content with a proper grid, then shift things around to create that perfectly imperfect look—order first, chaos later.
Hand-drawn style gives off creative, friendly vibes—perfect for illustrator portfolios, family cafés, or kids-focused projects.
Examples of websites that feature hand-drawn elements:
Retro
Old school, still cool
The retro style in web design is all about bringing back the look and feel of past decades. Think vintage vibes, bold colors, and unique typography. It often appeals to people who grew up in the '80s and '90s and want a hit of nostalgia.
Key elements:
- Bright colors and gradients. Retro design leans on bold palettes: Orange, yellow, turquoise, pink, brown. To mimic the look of old displays, go for slightly muted shades.
- Grainy textures and wear-and-tear. Graphics reference the era—vintage illustrations, posters, cartoon characters, and abstract shapes. Use grain, noise, or scratches to give that aged, analog feel.
- Shadowed buttons. Retro style is about mimicking physical objects. For example, mimicking physical objects like old-school radios, TVs, or arcade games. Add tactile-looking UI elements—like buttons with drop shadows—to echo vintage tech.
Retro style is perfect for websites that want to channel a specific era or spark nostalgia. Great for cafes, music projects, vintage shops, and bars.
Examples of websites with retro design aesthetics:
Flat
Everything is flat. Super flat
Flat design is all about simplicity and clarity. It removes unnecessary effects and focuses on clean, functional visuals.
Key elements:
- No depth effects and minimal animation. Stick to basic geometric shapes—rectangles, circles, triangles. Skip 3D, shadows, gloss, and bevels.
- Solid colors, no gradients. Flat style favors clean color schemes, especially soft pastels and bold contrasts. Use accent colors sparingly to highlight key elements.
- Bold headlines & clear hierarchy. Use clean, sans-serif fonts like Roboto or Open Sans. Break up content into digestible blocks with clear headings and subheadings.
Flat design is a solid choice for projects that value simplicity and speed. It works great for corporate websites, SaaS platforms, and news portals where usability comes first.
Examples of websites that feature flat-design elements:
Bento
Box it all up, the neat way
Inspired by the Japanese bento box, this style uses clean, separated sections to neatly organize content. Each piece of content lives in its own visual "container"—just like rice, veggies, and tempura in a lunchbox. Marketers and designers adapted this idea into a layout approach where almost all content is placed inside neatly defined "tiles" or "panels."
Key elements:
- Tidy blocks. Each content cell should be rectangular with softly rounded corners. If you're building a website in Bento style, start by creating a grid and adding neatly rounded containers.
- Minimal whitespace. Bento layout uses space efficiently. Everything fits together neatly, without looking cramped. Lay out your content step by step: Create the blocks, structure the info, then add highlights.
- Clear, readable typography. Stick to simple shapes, minimal decorative touches, and soft or muted colors. Add small illustrations or charts to enrich the content without overwhelming it.
Bento style is suitable for websites where the combination of minimalism, functionality, and visual harmony is important. It's especially popular in dashboards, e-commerce, and web services where clarity is key and content is dense.
Examples of Bento-style websites:
2025 Trends: The Most Current Web Design Styles
For most websites, Minimalism and the Swiss style will continue to dominate. These styles make websites feel clean, modern, and easy to navigate without overwhelming the user. So if you're not sure how to quickly update your website to look more current, start with the basics:
- Remove anything unnecessary.
- Add whitespace.
- Use clear, contrast typography.
One of the biggest trends in recent years has been the Bento style. While it's still widely used, it's no longer surprising or experimental. Tile-based layouts are everywhere now—with good reason. They make organizing content easier than layouts that use open space, so many designers have adopted the style with confidence.
What else is trending this year? Check out the article: "10 Web Design Trends for 2025"
Cheat Sheet: Core Web Design Styles
Our Advantages
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Minimalism- Few elements
- No decorative details
- Lots of negative space
- Minimal use of bold colors
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Brutalism & Neobrutalism- Provocative layouts
- Clashing color palettes
- Heavy shadows and outlines
-
Constructivism- Sans-serif fonts
- Various geometric shapes
- Elements aligned to one side of the page
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Swiss Style- Strong modular grid
- Clean sans-serif fonts
- Minimal, realistic photos and illustrations
- Poster-inspired composition
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Editorial Style- Print-inspired design
- High contrast in fonts
- Large visuals
- Plenty of decorative elements
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Hand-drawn Style- Handwritten or script fonts
- Sketches and brush strokes
- Misaligned or free-form layout
- Intentional visual chaos
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Retro- Bright color palettes and gradients
- Grainy textures and wear effects
- Design elements inspired by old-school tech
- Flat
- Total flatness—no shadows or 3D effects
- Pastel tones
- Clean, readable fonts
- Bento
- Many rectangular, rounded content blocks
- Very little empty space
- No decorative or unconventional design tricks
- Designing for Emotion by Aarron Walter. Practical and inspiring guide to creating digital experiences that connect with users on a deeper emotional level. What makes it unique: Attempts to tie aesthetic solutions to practical ones.
- The Design Of Everyday Things by Don Norman. A foundational book in the field of user experience (UX) and human-centered design, exploring why some solutions become iconic while others fail to resonate or frustrate users. What makes it unique: Features interviews with designers from Airbnb and Dropbox.
- About Face: The Essentials of Interaction Design by Alan Cooper, Robert Reimann, David Cronin A deep dive into interaction design principles, focusing on usability and human-centered approaches. What makes it unique: Offers clear frameworks, patterns, and best practices that help designers solve complex design problems.
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